Sustaining Vision and Avoiding 'We've Arrived' Syndrome

Key Insight

It is absolutely essential to recognize when a mission has been fulfilled and then promptly set a new one to avoid the 'We've Arrived Syndrome.' This complacency leads to fragmentation, where people pursue individual directions, and a loss of team spirit, as illustrated by the post-World War II allied effort that dissolved once Hitler's defeat was assured. New missions are critical to continuously galvanize a company toward new challenges and prevent the aimlessness that can follow goal attainment.

Symbols of success, such as moving into beautiful new buildings, can inadvertently trigger the 'We've Arrived Syndrome' by signaling that the company has 'made it.' This perception can dilute urgency and shift focus away from core business, as seen with Strategic Software, which experienced a breakdown in esprit de corps and stagnation after moving into prestigious offices because it had not established a new mission to replace its initial goal of survival and stability.

To ensure vision endures, it must be codified on paper, making it the organization's vision rather than solely that of a single leader. While tactics are in constant flux and strategy is revised annually, core values and beliefs should rarely, if ever, change, and purpose should last for 100 years. Missions, however, are dynamic and change once fulfilled, typically every 10 to 25 years. Effectively communicating vision involves 'painting a picture with words'—using vibrant, specific imagery, like Henry Ford's detailed description of democratizing the automobile, to evoke emotion and create a memorable, shared image that inspires collective action.